The present invention is related to a transit trunk subnetwork system which is configured to expand the existing capacity for bearer traffic in telephone networks. The invention incorporates an asynchronous transfer mode subnetwork which is interfaced directly with existing local exchange end offices, access tandems, or combinations thereof. A signal controller is utilized to direct signal messaging across the asynchronous transfer mode subnetwork to set up the movement of bearer traffic across the subnetwork. A network manager is also utilized to control bandwidth availability at the interfaces with the asynchronous transfer mode subnetwork.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A transit trunk subnetwork for interconnecting a first synchronous transfer mode switching system to a plurality of other synchronous transfer mode switching systems, the transit trunk subnetwork comprising: an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network connected by a first communications trunk to said first synchronous transfer mode (STM) switching system and by second communications trunks to said other STM switching systems; interfaces respectively connecting said first and second trunks with said ATM network, said interfaces converting bearer traffic from STM format to ATM format, and further converting bearer traffic from ATM format to STM format; and a signal controller for interpreting signaling messages and for mapping the movement of signaling messages between said first STM switching system and said other STM switching systems, said signal controller being adapted to identify ATM addresses of said interfaces associated with said first STM switching system and said other STM switching systems.
2. The transit trunk subnetwork as claimed in claim 1 wherein said signal controller controls the establishment of virtual circuits within said ATM network.
3. The transit trunk subnetwork system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said signal controller controls the mapping of virtual circuits between said first and second trunks and said interfaces.
4. A transit trunk subnetwork as claimed in claim 1 wherein the STM switching system is an access tandem.
5. A transit trunk subnetwork as claimed in claim 1 wherein the STM switching system is an end office.
6. A transit trunk subnetwork for enhancing bearer traffic capacity of an existing network which includes a plurality of local exchange carriers and a plurality of access tandems, the transit trunk subnetwork comprising: an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network; interfaces connected between said plurality of local exchange carriers and said ATM network, said interfaces being further connected to said access tandems; a signal controller for interpreting signaling messages and for mapping the movement of signaling messages between said exchange carriers and said access tandems, the signal controller being further adapted to identify ATM addresses of said interfaces; and a management system for managing bandwidth demand of said ATM network; wherein said signal controller and management system are independent of said exchange carriers, said access tandems, and ATM switches in said ATM network.
7. The transit trunk subnetwork as claimed in claim 6 wherein said ATM network comprises a plurality of interconnected ATM switches.
8. The transit trunk subnetwork as claimed in claim 6 wherein said interfaces terminate virtual channel connections within said ATM network.
9. The transit trunk subnetwork as claimed in claim 7 wherein said signal controller controls the establishment of virtual channel connections between ATM switches of said ATM network.
10. The transit trunk subnetwork as claimed in claim 6 wherein said interfaces comprise stand-alone interface platforms connected to each of said exchange carriers, so as to transfer bearer traffic from said local exchange carriers to said ATM network.
11. The transit trunk subnetwork as claimed in claim 10 wherein said stand-alone interface platforms are interconnected by the ATM network such that said stand-alone interface platforms can direct bearer traffic from one local exchange carrier through said ATM network to another interface connected to another local exchange carrier.
12. The transit trunk subnetwork as claimed in claim 6 wherein one of said access tandems interprets a signaling message related to a call setup and either directs the call to said ATM network or to an interexchange carrier, based on said signaling message.
13. The transit trunk subnetwork as claimed in claim 6 wherein one of said end offices translates a called number and either diverts a call associated with the called number to said ATM network, or to one of the access tandems.
14. A network comprising: at least two asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching systems respectively connected by a first communications trunk to a first synchronous transfer mode (StM) switching system and by second communications trunks to other STM switching systems; interfaces respectively connecting said first and second communications trunks with said respective ATM switching systems; a signal controller for each of said ATM switching systems, the signal controllers interpreting signaling messages and mapping the movement of signaling messages between said first communications trunk and said second communications trunks; a management system for each of said ATM switching systems, the management system managing bandwidth demand at said interfaces with said respective ATM switching systems; wherein said ATM switching systems are interconnected.
15. The network as claimed in claim 14 wherein movement of signaling messages between said ATM switching system is controlled by said signal controllers.
16. The network as claimed in claim 14 wherein movement of signaling messages within a given ATM switching system is controlled by said respective signaling controllers.
17. The network as claimed in claim 14 wherein said signal controllers and management systems are independent of said STM switching systems.
18. An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network that functions as a virtual tandem switch for interconnecting end offices of local exchange carriers, comprising: interfaces for converting synchronous transfer mode (STM) bearer traffic to ATM format and vice versa, the interfaces respectively connecting said end offices with said ATM network; a signal controller for interpreting signaling messages and for mapping the movement of signaling messages between said end offices and further adapted to identify ATM addresses of said interfaces; and a management system for managing bandwidth demand at said end offices.
19. The ATM network as claimed in claim 18 wherein said interfaces provide a direct connection between said end offices and said ATM network.
20. A method for expanding the communications capacity of a pre-existing network, said pre-existing network including synchronous transfer mode (STM) switching systems interconnected by trunk connections, said method comprising steps of: i) overlaying said STM switching systems with an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) subnetwork; ii) interconnecting said ATM subnetwork and said STM switching systems using interfaces configured to convert: (1) incoming bearer traffic directed to said subnetwork from a synchronous transfer mode to asynchronous transfer mode, and; (2) outgoing bearer traffic directed away from said subnetwork from asynchronous transfer mode to synchronous transfer mode; iii) interconnecting a signal controller with said ATM subnetwork, said signal controller being adapted to interpret signaling messages and map the movement of signaling messages between said STM switching systems and said subnetwork, and further adapted to identify ATM addresses of said interfaces interconnecting said ATM subnetwork and said STM switching systems; and iv) interconnecting a management system to said ATM subnetwork to manage bandwidth requirements in said subnetwork.
21. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein said STM switching systems are access tandems.
22. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein said STM switching systems are local exchange carrier end offices.
23. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein said method further includes a step of utilizing said signal controller to direct signaling messages received from a first STM switching system at a first interface across said ATM subnetwork to a second interface with said ATM subnetwork, and on to a second STM switching system.
24. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein said ATM subnetwork comprises a plurality of interconnected ATM switches.
25. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein said ATM subnetwork is connected to at least one other ATM subnetwork of interconnected ATM switches.
26. The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said method further includes a step of utilizing said signal controller to direct signaling messages received from a first STM switching system at a first interface to a signal controller in the other ATM subnetwork of interconnected ATM switches which directs the message on to a second interface, and further on to a second STM switching system.
27. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein said method further includes a step of utilizing said signal controller to establish permanent virtual circuits across said ATM subnetwork between said interfaces sand said signal controller.
28. A transit trunk subnetwork for enhancing signal traffic capacity of an existing telephone network in which a plurality of local exchange carriers communicate with a plurality of access tandems, the transit trunk subnetwork comprising: an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) subnetwork; interfaces connected between said plurality of local exchange carriers and said ATM subnetwork, a one of said interfaces being connected to one of said access tandems; a signal controller for interpreting signaling messages and for mapping the movement of signaling messages between said exchange carriers and said access tandems, the signal controller being adapted to identify ATM addresses of said interfaces interconnecting said ATM subnetwork and said STM switching systems; and a management system for managing bandwidth demand of said ATM subnetwork at said interfaces; wherein said signal controller directs signaling messages to said access tandems or passes the signaling message across said subnetwork to another local exchange carrier based on codes contained within said signaling messages.
29. The subnetwork system as claimed in claim 28 wherein said codes are indicative of a non-featured telephone call.
30. The subnetwork system as claimed in claim 28 wherein said codes are indicative of an end-featured telephone call.
31. The subnetwork system as claimed in claim 28 wherein said codes are indicative of a source-featured telephone call.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 23, 1998
August 28, 2001
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